FrUK Aristocats
by CountrygalxHetalia
Summary: Another crossover! FrUK this time XD Alright ya'll, I do hope you enjoy this and make sure you read the description after! Pretty please :D
1. The Will

A small carriage was being pulled through Paris by a dark brown, almost black horse. The driver was a young woman with long, very light brown hair that was currently pulled up into a bun underneath her hat. The passenger sitting in the back was definitely a high class aristocrat. He was sitting up straight and dignified while his cat and his three kittens sat around him. His hair was dark purplish brown with the oddest curl sticking up from the front with a pair of glasses sitting on his nose.

The smallest of the three kittens ran up the horses back and sat on the top of the horse's head. He looked up and smiled at the little kitten as he continued walking. The man in the back picked up the only little girl of the three kittens and smiled as he petted her, holding her against his cheek.

"Michelle, my little one, you are going to be as beautiful as your fazer. Isn't she, Francis?" he asked, looking at the father that climbed up his front. He knew the kittens meant the world to the cat since Jeanne had been lost during their birth. Francis meowed softly and pressed his head against his chin affectionately. The last of the kittens, an orange colored one, climbed up the driver's side and sat on her shoulder, and tried climbing up her face to play with her hat. Roderich, the young aristocrat, laughed lightly as he watched the kitten.

"Careful, Alfred! You're making it very difficult for Natalia," he said. Natalia watched the little orange trouble maker try and paw at her hat while trying to stay situated on her face. She gently grabbed Alfred and set him back down in the carriage and pulled the horse to a stop.

"Whoa, Kiku, whoa. Steady, boy," she said, smiling at the horse. Kiku slowed quickly, almost making Matthew, the small black kitten fall off. Natalia quickly hopped out of the coach, and straightened her pantsuit before walking over to the Roderich. She held out her hand and helped him out of the coach.

"Danke, Natalia," he said, holding the parcel in his hands firmly as Francis jumped out to tend to the kittens. He stopped and turned back as Kiku neighed softly. "Oh. Of course, Kiku, I almost forgot," he said, smiling as he held out his hand for the horse. Kiku smiled and chewed on the treat.

"Monsieur uh- may I take your parcel. Monsieur, it really is much too heavy for you, Monsieur," the young girl said, reaching out to take the box. Roderich smiled and rolled his eyes.

"Now, tut-tut, Natalia. Don't fuss over me," he teased, walking purposefully inside. She smiled and bowed her head. The two boy kittens had gotten out of the coach and were playing around Kiku's legs. Francis smiled as he watched them and looked at the little black one.

"Matzew, come back 'ere. 'Aven't you forgotten somezing, darling?" he questioned his son. The little one scrunched his eyebrows for a moment before it dawned on him. He turned around and looked at the horse.

"Thank you Mister Kiku, for letting me ride on your back," he said softly. Kiku chuckled softly and nodded at the kitten.

"You are quite wercome, young man," he said. Matthew smiled proudly and looked back to Francis.

"How was that, Papa?" he asked with expectant bluish violet eyes. He smiled and nodded in approval.

"Very good, darling, zat was very nice," he told him. Roderich looked back from the doorway of the house to see the kittens and Francis still around Kiku. He turned and called them gently.

"Come along, Francis, kittens, come along." He smiled as they ran inside ahead of him. He walked in after them but then walked back to look at Natalia as he remembered something.

"Oh, und Natalia. I'm expecting mien attorney, Elizaveta Héderváry," he said and continued back inside, "you vemember her, of course!" The woman sighed, looking up at the sky as she spoke to herself.

"Of course, Monsieur. How could anyone forget her?" she inquired sarcastically, a small smile playing at her pale lips.

A rather old, beaten up looking car was spluttering and banging its way down the cobbled street towards Roderich's house. The woman inside jerked the car to a stop in front of the gates and stood up. She was a young woman with long, light brown hair pulled into a ponytail and was extremely klutzy and childlike. She pulled off her gloves and shoved them in her pocket as she sang loudly to herself.

"Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay. Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay." She bent over to get out of the vehicle and found her foot stuck. "Oh," she huffed and used the cane she kept with her to pull it loose. She grinned, holding her briefcase tightly and hopped out of the car. "Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay, ta-ra-ra-boom-de- Whoops!" She tripped as she skipped down the walkway to her client's house but caught herself on her cane. "Not as sure footed as I vas vhen I vas 16, eh?" She chuckled to herself and continued towards the large house.

"Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay, ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay!" Natalia was hurrying towards the door, pulling on her jacket as she heard Elizaveta coming up the steps. She stood up straight and opened the door. The Hungarian waltzed in as if in her own world. Natalia grabbed the woman's scarf as Elizaveta spun around.

"Ah, good day, ma'am. Monsieur is expecting you, ma'am," Natalia said, turning to hang the scarf up. Elizaveta grinned and reached up with her cane to spin her hat on the tip.

"Evening, evening, Natalia," she replied, twirling her hat off and right onto the Belarusian's head. "Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay, ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay."

"Oh, another ringer, ma'am. You never miss," she said, taking the hat off and putting it up. She turned and hers eyes widened as she watched the clumsy woman wobbling up the stairs.

"Come on, Natalia. Last one up ze stairs is a nincompoop!" she called. Natalia sighed and walked over to the small elevator in the house.

"Could we take the elevator this time, ma'am?" she asked politely, not feeling like carrying the woman up the large staircase again. Elizaveta looked over her shoulder at the other woman and laughed.

"Zat bird cage? Poppycock! Elevators are for old people. Oops!" She leaned backwards, nearly tipping back down the stairs and almost dropping her briefcase. Natalia rushed up the stairs and grabbed Elizaveta to keep her from falling back.

"Oh, uh… may I give you a hand, ma'am?" she asked, stress making her voice start to crack. The Hungarian chuckled and looked up at the other.

"You haven't got an extra foot, have you, Natalia?" she asked. She burst into a fit of giggles and Natalia swallowed and rolled her eyes.

"That always makes me laugh, ma'am. Yes. Every time," she replied tightly. This was going to be longer than she was praying for. They started up the staircase when both almost toppled over. Elizaveta looked down and started tugging on her cane which was caught between their legs.

"Vhoa! Oh! Let go of my cane!" she yelled as Natalia held onto her as best as she could. The woman's navy blue eyes widened as Elizaveta tripped and spun them around, almost making them fall.

"Careful, ma'am. Oh please! I'm frightfully sorry, ma'am!" Elizaveta managed turn herself around and snag Natalia's suspenders from under her coat with her cane and started walking backwards. Natalia groaned inwardly and just waited for the inevitable.

"Don't panic Natalia. Upward and onward! Vhee!" the brunette called, running back up and jumping onto the woman's back. Natalia oofed with the impact but was thankful that the attorney was light. "Am I going too fast for you, Natalia?" she asked playfully. The Belarusian sighed and started her trek up to Roderich's room.

"Please, ma'am, do hold on."

Roderich stood before a large mirror while his record played slow music, straightening his suit as he waited for Elizaveta. He brushed his hair, trying to get his curl to lay flat but failing. He sighed and simply let the curl bounce back to its original position. He looked in the mirror and down at Francis as he fixed his cravat.

"Zere now, Francis. Zat's better. Ve must boz look our best for Eliza. She's our closest und dearest friend, you know," he told the cat, reaching down to pet his head. He meowed and both of them looked up as someone knocked on the door. "Come in," he called. The large double doors opened and Natalia stumbled through, holding the bottoms to her pantsuit up as she held one of the doors open.

"Announcing... Madame... Elizabeta... Héderváry," she panted, swallowed as she managed a small bow. Elizaveta walked in, spinning and smiling happily as the kittens ran up and start playing around her feet.

"Oh my goodness Natalia. I know it's Eliza," Roderich chastised softly as he picked up Francis. The Hungarian smiled and practically skipped up to her old friend.

"Roderich, my dear," she said, bowing low and winking up at him. The man chuckled and rolled his eyes at the woman.

"So good to see you, Elizabeta," he replied. He watched, a smirk playing at his lips, as he reached out for her hand. She, however, grabbed the end of Francis' tail and kissed it. Roderich has to bite his lip to keep from laughing at their old game.

"Ah, still ze softest hands in all of Paris, eh?" she inquired, keeping a straight face the entire time. Francis covered his mouth with one of his paws and smiled at the woman. The aristocrat sighed and scratched Francis behind his ear.

"You're a shameless flatterer, Eliza," he told her, teasing in all of his words as he laughed lightly. Matthew was by the record player, spinning the hand to keep it playing and Elizaveta perked up as she heard the music.

"Roderich, zat music, it's from Carmen, isn't it?" she inquired, a mischievous smirk pulling at her lips. He nodded and rubbed his cheek against Francis' fur.

"Zat's vight. It vas mien favorite vole," he said as he watched the young attorney.

"Yes, yes! It vas ze night of your grand premiere zat ve first met, vemember?" she asked, looking at him with sparkling green eyes.

"Oh, indeed I do," Roderich said, still holding Francis up close to his face and chuckling as Elizaveta started to dance around the room.

"And how ve celebrated your success! Champagne, dancing ze night away," she grinned, humming to the music as she made her way towards Roderich. She swooped in and pulled him into the dance.

"Oh, Eliza!" He huffed at the girl put allowed himself to be pulled into the dance as he held Francis up with one hand. Michelle and Alfred played and jumped around their feet. Matthew was spinning around the old record, jumping over the needle every time he came to it. He missed it once, though, and brought the song to a slow stop. He yelped slightly, but smiled sheepishly at his father and Roderich. The darker brunette laughed breathlessly as Elizaveta twirled off towards the large desk in the room.

"Oh, zank goodness, just in time," he said, sitting down on the large, plush sofa and setting Francis in his lap. "Ah, Eliza, we're just a pair of sentimental fools," he told her. She ignored him and continued to spin around. "Now, Elizaveta, do be serious. I've asked you to come here on a very important legal matter," he said, looking at the woman seriously.

"Vha-? Oh! Splendid! Splendid!" she said excitedly, tripping in her haste and sitting behind the desk. She giggled and sat herself down, fixing her dress as she did so. "Who do you vant me to sue, eh?" she asked, eyebrow raised. Roderich rolled his eyes at the childish woman.

"Oh, come now Eliza. I don't vish for you to sue anyone. I simply vant to make my vill." Elizaveta rolled her eyes and put on a pair of glasses.

"Und vhy vould vant to make a vill at your age?" she asked as she opened her briefcase. Roderich shrugged and leaned back, holding Francis to his chest.

"Just in case. You never know vhat might happen," he replied, petting the cat's head affectionately. The brunette nodded in understanding and pulled out a ink pen

"Alvight zen, ze vill it is zen. Now, zen, who are ze beneficiaries?" she asked. "Vell, as you know, I have no living velatives," he started. Natalia was listening from downstairs in her small room through the connecting pipes as she ironed her, now, very wrinkled pantsuit. "And naturally, I want my beloved cats to be always cared for. And certainly no one can do this better than my faithful servant, Natalia." The light haired women looked up in interest. She walked over to the hose and listened carefully.

"Natalia?" Elizaveta asked incredulously, "Roderich, you mean to say you're leaving your vast fortune to Natalia? Everyzing you possess? Stocks und bonds? Zis... zis mansion? Your country chateau? Art treasures, jewels und-" Natalia had almost stopped listening entirely as she started dancing around the shabby room, grinning widely and blowing kisses to the listening tube.

"No, no, no, Elizaveta, to my cats," Roderich interrupted Natalia's happiness. The Belarusian's face fell as she listened to this bit of information.

"To your cats?" the lawyer asked curiously.

"Cats?" Natalia practically choked on the word. She sank down onto the chest that held her clothes and dropped her head into her hands as she continued to listen.

"Yes, Eliza. I simply vish to have ze cats inherit first. Zen, at ze end of zeir life span, my entire estate vill revert to Natalia. She sat their dumbstruck for a moment as she took it the conversation.

"Cats inherit first! And I come after the cats. I- me- after, no. It's not fair!" she cried angrily, standing up and hitting her head on the protruding end of the pipe. "Ooh! I mean, each cat will live about 12 years. I can't wait. And each cat has nine lives, that's four times twelve multiplied by nine times. No it's less than that," she muttered, trying to figure out the math in her head. "Anyway, it's much longer that I'd ever live," she swallowed sadly as she reached for her trousers. "I'll be gone." She moaned before her eyes widened and a wicked smile painted across her face.

"No. Oh, no. They'll be gone. I'll think of a way. Why, there are a million of reasons why I should!" she said hysterically, dollar signs floating all across her vision. "All of them dollars. Millions." She chuckled as she pulled her legs through her pants. "Those cats have got to go," she stated firmly before groaning as she ripped her trousers as she pulled her other leg through.

* * *

_Alright, mein friends und I were talking and happening to watch Aristocats when this apperaified. Right now it's more like crack than an actual crossover, but that's ok, we can all just laugh at it XD so, I was going to genderbend France, cause it would have been very, very weird if I hadn't, but then I thought, the kittens could be adopted, or simply the mother wasn't there (either way you choose to take it) So, I decided against it and left him as good Ol Francy pants XD _

_I hope this is okay because I will be continuing it! It is way too much fun to quit now! XD Hope ya like it!_


	2. Crème de la crème a la Natalia

"Wait for me, wait for me!" Matthew called as he and his siblings ran through the yard. They were racing for the cat door that led them inside. "Me first! Me first!" Michelle called, her little red bow bouncing as she tried to get ahead of her brothers. They made it up the steps and all at once they leapt threw the cat door. Instead of going through, however, they all got stuck.

"Why should you be first?" Alfred asked, looking up at the little white kitten. She looked down at him as she lifted her nose into the air.

"Because I am a lady, that's why," she told him. Alfred snorted and squirmed from his uncomfortable spot beneath his sister.

"Ha. You are not a lady," he told her. She sneered at the orange kitten and managed to squirm her way out from in between her brother and onto the floor. Matthew raised himself up and snatched her tail in his paw.

"You're nothing but a sister, eh!" he said, pulling her back against the front door. She oofed slightly as her bow feel into her eyes and watched as her brother jumped through the door ahead of her.

"Oh! I'll show you if I'm a lady or not," she muttered before straightening the bow and taking off after the black kitten. She ran after Matthew, following him over the ataman and tackling him to the ground. Alfred ran under the frill of the footstool and watched as they rolled around; giggling and wrestling. Matthew grinned wickedly and began tickling his sister.

"Stop tickling!" Michelle shrieked, unable to stop the laughter that bubbled from her lips. Alfred laughed as he watched from under the ataman.

"Get her, Matthew! Get her!" he called to his younger brother. His blue eyes widened and he turned tail though, as Michelle stood and began chasing the two. Alfred jumped up onto a small table and clutched at a candelabra. He watched his siblings fight on the floor.

"Fight fair, Michelle!" Matthew shouted as his sister tugged at the red ribbon tied around his neck. She ignored him and continued to pull on the unkempt bow.

"Females never fight fair," Alfred yelled down to Matthew. He gasped as he fell off the candelabra suddenly, causing one of the candles to fall off as well. It fell down and hit Michelle on the head, breaking the candle and causing her to look up from her position above her brother.

"Ow! Now that hurt!" she cried. "Papa! Papa!" Francis walked in, sighing as he saw his children arguing.

"Michelle, darling. Michelle, you must stop zat. Zis, zis is really not ladylike," he told her, walking towards the kittens. Michelle huffed and pulled away from Matthew. "And Matzew, well, such behavior is most unbecoming to a lovely gentleman," he told the boy. The black kitten sighed and looked at Michelle.

"Well, she started it," he argued softly. Michelle humpfed and turned away from him and stuck her nose in the air.

"Ladies do not start fights," she informed him, "but they can finish them." She turned back to him with a triumphant look on her face. Matthew stuck his tongue out at her.

"Matzew," Francis said warningly, "now, don't be rude." The kitten looked up innocently with his wide violet eyes and smiled.

"We were just practicing biting and clawing," he explained. Francis sighed and shook his head as he fixed the big red bow around Michelle's neck.

"Aristocrats do not practice biting and clawing and zings like that…it's just horrible!" he said, blue eyes wide at the thought of such horrific things. He looked up as Alfred spoke from the table.

"But someday, we might meet a tough alley cat," he said, jumping down hissing and spitting, making his siblings laugh. Francis laughed as his son's fur went up on end and he licked his lips. Francis chuckled as the children pawed and teased each other.

"Now zat will do," he told them gently. "It's time we concerned ourselves wiz self-improvement. Now, you want to grow up to be lovely, charming ladies and gentlemen. Now Alfred, you go and start on wiz your painting." The orange kitten stood up from his crouched position and nodded.

"Yes, Papa." He started walking over to his easel, hissing as he hopped and pounced to his tall stool.

"Papa, may we watch Alfred paint before we start our music lesson? Please?" Michelle asked as they watched Alfred struggle to climb up. He began mixing paints and Francis nodded.

"Well, yes my love, but you must be very quiet," he told the two as Alfred accidentally spilled some of the paints. Matthew narrowed his eyes and jumped to the side to avoid being covered in blue paint.

"Oops! Uh-oh…" Alfred muttered softly, looking over the edge of the table his color palette was sitting on. He cleared his throat, thinking of something to paint before grinning and mixing two colors together. He jumped onto his stool and began dragging his paws over the blank canvas. He grinned and brought a paint covered paw up to his chin, covering his jaw in green paint. He stood back to throw his paw forward and put red paint on the picture to finish a rather childish drawing of Natalia.

"It's Natalia!" Michelle giggled and Alfred stood back to admire his work. Matthew nodded and walked up next to his sister.

"Yeah. Old picklepuss Natalia!" Francis laughed unexpectedly at the comment before covering his mouth and looking down at his son who was rolling around on the floor.

"'Old Picklepuss'? Now, now, Matzew, zat is not kind. You know Natalia is so fond of all of us and takes very good care of us.

Natalia, on the other hand, was in a small side kitchen, preparing a cream of some kind for the cats. She was pouring nearly an entire bottle of sleeping tablets into the concoction and singing to herself happily. "Rock-a-bye, kitties, bye-bye you go. La la la la, and I'm in the dough." She chuckled to herself as she poured different ingredients in to mask the taste and add flavor. "Oh Natalia, you sly fox." She stirred the mixture around and brought the spoon up to taste it when she remembered the sleeping pills.

"Oops! Oh, dear! A slip of a hand and it's off to dreamland," she mumbled. She giggled slightly and continued mixing things into the cream. "I say, that's not at all bad. 'Slip of the hand, dreamland'." She chuckled and went on to pour the warm milk into bowls for the kittens and Francis.

"Now," Francis said, looking at Michelle and Matthew, "let's leave Alfred to his painting. Now dear, you go to ze piano and run along." He nudged Michelle, ushering her to the piano. She walked past Matthew, flicking her tail under his nose on purpose. "Boz of you, go a'ead." The two ran towards the instrument, tackling and playing as they went. "It's time to practice your scales and your arpeggios."

"Yes, Papa," Michelle said. "Yes, Papa." Matthew copied, running to beat his sister. He jumped up onto the piano bench, but Michelle pulled him down by his tail. She ignored his cry of indignation and jumped on to the keys and up to the edge of the piano.

"Ow!" Matthew hissed, watching his sister fluff up her fur. He sneered slightly before grinning and setting down on the bench. He began demonstratively cracking the knuckles on each finger on both forepaws and then on his hind paws, just to irritate his sister. She rolled her eyes and leaned towards him.

"I'm ready, maestro," she said exaggeratedly. Matthew stretched his now cracked fingers and ran his paws down the keys so Michelle's tail, which was hanging inside the piano, got hit.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, glaring at her brother. "Papa! He did it again!" Matthew sighed and rested his elbows on the keys, scrunching his nose at the white kitten.

"Tattletale!" he said in a hushed whispered. Francis sighed and looked at his son.

"Now, Matzew. Now, please, darling, settle down, and play me your pretty little song," he pleaded lightly, jumping up onto one of the cushioned chairs and kneading it lightly before wrapping his long tail around his legs. Matthew nodded and turned towards the piano.

"Yes, Papa." He started playing softly and Michelle smiled and started singing along.

_Doe me so doe doe so me doe. Every truly cultured music student knows you must learn your scales and your arpeggios. And the music ringing from your chest and not your nose while you sing your scales and your arpeggios._

Michelle sang happily, looking between her father and brother. She only had to stop once to catch her breath and soon Matthew took over and started singing while he continued playing the piano.

_If you're faithful to your daily practicing you will find your progress is encouraging. Doe me so me doe me so me fa fa so it goes. When you sing your scales and your arpeggios_

Francis nodded his head along with the music as Michelle rolled her eyes at her silly brother. He wiggled his eyebrows and she huffed slightly. "Doe me so doe–" She stopped abruptly as she realized Matthew was playing out of rhythm. Alfred hopped down from his painting stool though, and jumped onto the piano keys with his paws still covered in paint. Matthew gave him a disgusted sort of look as Francis and Michelle both started singing as Matthew and Alfred picked up the correct rhythm.

_Doe me so doe doe so me doe. Doe me so doe doe so me doe. Though at first it seems as though it doesn't show. Like a tree, ability will root and grow. If you're smart you'll learn by heart what every artist knows. You must sing your scales and your arpe-e-e-gios!_

Francis and the kittens stopped singing, being it was the end of the song, but Alfred and Matthew continue banging on the piano, dueling each other until they jumped up and bangged their heads together. They all looked up as the doorknob to the room jiggled and Natalia popped her head in.

"Ah, good evening, my little ones," she said, throwing the door open and walking in with a covered dish in her hand. She hummed to herself as she side stepped the kittens playing around her feet. "Your favorite dish, prepared a very special way. It's crème de la crème a la Natalia." She pulled the small cloth away revealing four bowls of milk. She walked back to the door, smiling at the cats as she left. "Sleep well. I-I mean, eat, eat well, of course," she stammered, closing the door behind her.

A small blonde mouse was peeking out from a hole in the wall, sniffing at the air. He smiled and quickly ran back into his hole. He walked back out holding a cracker above his head. He pushed it behind his back and cleared his throat.

"Ahem! Gut evening, Francis. Hallo kittens," he said, gaining the attention of the family. Michelle looked up and grinned at the mouse.

"Hello, Ludwig," she said. Alfred also lifted his head and greeted the animal. "Hi, Ludwig." "Good evening, Monsieur Ludwig," Francis said, lifting his head from his own meal. Ludwig lifted his nose and sniffed the air again.

"Mmm! Somezing smells avfully gut. Vhat is zat appetizing smell?" he inquired, slowly scooting himself forward. Michelle giggled and lifted her head from the cream.

"It's crème de la crème a la Natalia," she replied. Francis smiled warmly at the mouse as he looked him. "Won't you join us, Monsieur Ludwig?" Ludwig's blue eyes lit up as he shuffled his feet.

"Vell, ja. I-I mean… vell, I don't mean to intervupt, but," he chuckled nervously between his stutterings and pulled the cracker from behind him. "But it so happens zat... I have a cracker viz me."

"Come on, Ludwig, have some," Matthew insisted, moving to the side so Ludwig could get to his bowl.

"Oh, danke. Don't mind if I do," he said, scurrying forward and dipping his cracker into the cream. "Just a few dunks," he mumbled. He bit into the cracker, eating about half of it in just a few bites. "Mm. Very gut. Mien compliments to ze chef," he said around a mouthful of cracker.

"Mm! This is yummy!" Michelle said as she licks up some more. Ludwig nods in agreement as he finishes off the cracker. "Mm.. Delicious! Double delicious! Zis calls for anozer cracker," he says, jumping down off the tray and towards his hole. He stops and turns back around. "I'll be vight back," he tells them. Matthew yawns widely as he leans back down to lap up the cream. He has a hazy, sleepy look in his eyes. Ludwig trips and stumbles back to his little hole, yawning and falling into the entrance.

"So, zat's... crème... de la crème... a la Natalia," he mumbled right before falling asleep as the other cats also become drowsy and started to fall asleep.

It was way past midnight as Natalia snuck through the house, carrying a covered basket gently in her arms. She stuck her head out of the cat door to make sure no one was in sight and very quietly opened the door. She tip toed outside and tripped over a stray can. She jumped and turned, looking back at the door to make sure she wasn't being followed. She continued walking backward until something poked her in the back.

She threw her hands up, expecting somebody to be holding a gun to her back. She turned slowly only to find a tree branch. She chuckled softly, trying to calm and sooth her frazzled nerves. She walked over to her small motorcycle and placed the basket in her side car. She lifted up the sheet, revealing Francis the kittens curled up, fast asleep. She lowered it and sat down on her seat and started the motorbike, wincing as it popped and spluttered.

She turned it around and began driving through the quiet Paris streets. She had to make several U-turns until she was safely out of the heart of the city. She rode through the countryside and approached a windmill where a dog woke up, hearing the backfiring of Natalia's motorcycle.

He stood up, knocking his head on the large wheelbarrow he was sleeping under. He grunted slightly but walked over to a small hay bale where an ear was sticking out. "Lilit. Hey, Lilit." He stepped on her ear unknowingly and she lifted her head as far up as she could. "Lilit."

"Hey, I'm rightchere!" she said. Her brother backed off and he leaned down next to her.

"Listen. Vheels approaching," he said as he walked to the top of the hill. She huffed and dragged herself out from under her comfortable bed of hay.

"Oh, Vash, ve've done bit six tires today. Chased four motorcars und a bicycle und a scooter," she complained. Vash turned to give her a look.

"Hush your mouth!" he said. He lifted an ear and concentrated on the sounds of the motorcycle. "It's a motorcycle. Two-cylinder, chain drive, one squeaky vheel on ze front, it sounds like," he stated confidently as they began walking down the slope of the small hill. "Now, you go for ze tires, und I'll go right for ze seat of ze problem," he instructed his younger sister. She sighed and looked at him.

"How come you always grab ze tender part for yourself?" she inquired moodily, really not wanting to have to go after anything this late at night. She stepped on her own ear and fell face first into the dirt. Vash sighed and rolled his eyes.

"'Cause I outrank ya, zat's vhy," he told her, "now stop beating your gums und sound ze attack!" She nodded and began barking only to be reprimanded by her brother. "No, zat's mess call!"

"Made a mess of it, huh?" she teased, looking at him tiredly. Vash glared at Lilit.

"You can be replaced, you know," he said, not really meaning it. She sighed and began jogging forward.

"Okay, let's charge!" Instead of following behind her, Vash stepped on her tail, causing her to land on her stomach.

"Vait a minute, I'm ze leader! I'm ze one zat says vhen ve go," he stated. He paused a moment, listening to the sounds of the motorbike. "Here ve go. Charge!" They ran towards Natalia, making her dark blue eyes go wide. She swerved and instead of going over the bridge she was about to cross, she bumped and banged her way down the hill towards the wide creek. The basket that's holding the cats fall out and Vash and Lilit continue to chase Natalia through the water on her motorcycle.

She rode out of the water, believing she'd lost the dogs, but looked over to her side car and swallowed when she saw Vash and his sister sitting there. He growled and she jumped up, her feet standing on his seat. Vash leans forward and bites the seat of her pants, making her shout.

"Nice doggy! Nice doggy! Heel, roll over, play dead!" she begged as she tried to shake the animal off. The dogs manage to make Natalia fly off the bike with only her umbrella keeping her up. Lilit giggled and leaned back in the side car as Vash took the handlebars.

"Zis sure beats vunnin', Vash," she said. Vash was about to reply until he saw the tree coming straight towards them. It split the motorcycle from the side car, causing both dogs to go in opposite directions. They chased Natalia through the wide field to a large windmill. They managed to get caught on the blades of the fan and the dogs were able to grab the side car while Natalia took the motorcycle. Vash and Lilit chased Natalia around before finally losing her as she rode off, back over the bridge and towards the city.

Francis and the kittens had been completely forgotten about under the bridge as lightning flashed in the distance. Francis laid near the small river, still asleep until a loud clap of thunder woke him up. He sat up, his eyes still slightly glazed with sleep until he took in his surroundings.

"Oh! Oh, where am I? I'm not at 'ome at all," he said, looking around worriedly. "Children, where are you?" he called, leaping into the middle of the creek. "Answer me please! Matzew? Alfred, Michelle, where are you?" he asked desperately.

"Here I am, papa," Michelle said tiredly. He looked up and saw her stuck between two v-shaped branches. He jumped back to the bank and over towards his daughter.

"Michelle, darling, are you all right?" he asked, gently grabbing the scruff of her neck and picking her up and setting her on the ground.

"Uh, I guess I had a nightmare and fell out of bed," the little girl mumbled. Francis sighed and reached down to nuzzle his nose against her head.

"Now Michelle, darling, don't be frightened," he stammered slightly over his words, trying to keep the quivered out of his own voice as he tried to figure out what to do.

"Papa! Papa!" Francis looked up at the sound of his son calling him.

"That's Matthew," Michelle said, looking up and around for her brother. Francis jumped towards the edge of the creek and lifted his head to try to look over the leaves and grass.

"Over 'ere, darling. Matzew, 'ere we are. And don't worry, everyzing is going to be all right," he called. Matthew came into view, his fur soaking wet as he trudged to a dry spot.

"I'm coming, papa," he said just loud enough to be heard. "G-gee, I'm cold and I'm w-wet," he stuttered, sitting down for a moment. He heard a frog croak softly and he looked at it closely. "Papa?" The frog bellowed at Matthew and he tripped over his own feet as he cried out, frightened, trying to get to Francis. "Papa!" He ran towards his father and buried himself as close as he could. Francis laughed lightly and looked the black kitten.

"Oh, darling. Zat's only a little frog, my love," he told him. Matthew looked up with wide eyes and gulped.

"But he had a mouth like a hippolotamus, eh," he said. He heard the frog croak again and he snuggled closer to Francis' stomach. Michelle giggled and Matthew looked at her reproachfully.

"Oh, what's so funny?" he asked, walking forward defensively. Francis shook his head and looked at the kittens.

"Now, now, darlings. Darlings, now you just stay 'ere, and I'll go and I'll look for Alfred," he told them, walking off to look for the eldest kitten. "Alfred! Alfred, where are you?" he called as he walked farther from the kittens and the basket.

"Alfred!" Michelle yelled. Matthew picked up and began shouting for his brother. "Alfred!" Neither kitten noticed as Alfred's little orange head poked up from the basket. "Alfred!"

"Hey, what's all the yellin' about, huh?" he asked drowsily, trying to wipe the sleep from his eyes with a paw. Matthew walked forward and looked at his brother.

"Why didn't you answer?" he asked. Michelle called out for Francis before Alfred could answer though.

"Papa! He's been here all the time," she said accusingly. Francis rolled his eyes and turned back to walk back to the kittens.

"Oh, zank goodness," he mumbled. He walked up to Alfred and looked at him worriedly. "Oh, are you all right?" he asked, starting to groom the kitten.

"I was having a funny dream. Natalia was in it," he explained, pushing Francis away from him to rub his nose, "and we were all riding and bouncing along-" He cut off as he heard the frog croak loudly again. "Frogs? Uh-oh, it wasn't a dream. Natalia did this to us." Francis' eyes widened and he looked at his son.

"Natalia? Tsk! Oh, darling, but that… why, that's ridiculous," he replied, shaking his head slightly. Matthew chuckled and placed his paws on the edge of the basket.

"Yeah, maybe you fell on your head, Alfred," he teased. Alfred gave him a annoyed look but jumped as thunder crashed in the distance.

"Papa, I'm afraid! I wanna go home," Michelle whimpered, scooting backwards towards Francis and leaning against him.

"Now, now, my darling. Don't be frightened-!" He yelped loudly as thunder boomed extremely close to them. "Oh dear, oh dear! Let's get into ze basket, all of us," he said, walking behind the kittens quickly as rain started to fall.

"What's gonna happen to us?" Alfred asked, looking out of the basket as it started to pour.

"Well, darlings, I… I just don't know. It does look 'opeless, doesn't it?" he asked, nudging his nose out of the curtains to look at the storm.

"I wish we were home with Monsieur right now," Matthew mumbled, curling up close to Francis.

"Oh. Poor Monsieur. 'e will be so worried when 'e finds us gone," he murmured, looking out with Alfred and Michelle at the cold, rainy night.

Roderich woke with a start as thunder crashed outside his room. He sat up and looked around worriedly, making his curl bounce slightly. "Francis? Duchess? Kittens? Oh, my gracious! I had the most horrible dream about them," he said, tossing his covers off him and slipping his feet into a pair of slippers. "Thank goodness it was only a dream. Oh dear, what a terrible night," he said, wrapping his arms around himself and walking towards the bed where the Francis and his kittens were sleeping.

"Now, now, my darlings. Don't be frightened. The storm will soon pass." He pulled open the curtains around the bed to find it empty. "Oh! Oh, no! They're gone!" he gasped. He ran out of his room, calling out for them. "Francis? Kittens! Francis! Where are you?" As Roderich ran down the hall, searching for the missing felines, Ludwig poked his blonde head out of his small hole. He could hear Roderich's desperate shouting as he rubbed his eyes. "They're gone! They're gone!

"Francis, kittens, gone?" he asked, looking around as he finally woke up completely. "Vhy, zat's terrible! But vhere? Vhy?" he asked, running up to one of the large windows. "Good heavens! Anything could happen to them on a night like this! G-get washed down a storm drain, struck by lightning." He was frightening himself as he ticked off all the possibilities. He ran into his hole, pulling on a small red coat and hat. "Oh, they'll need help. I've just got to find them." He ran across the floor and towards the cat door, shoving it opening climbing out.

"Francis! Kittens!" He jumped as lightning flashed. He tied his hat under his chin and pulled his small jacket closer around him and took off down the street. "Francis! Kittens! Kittens!"


	3. Arthur Kirkland the Alley Cat

**Yay! We finally get to meet Mr. 'Thomas O'Malley' XD This was sooooo much fun to get through. I just couldn't stop laughing. This'll make it twice as good if you listen to this with the beginning! watch?v=vw0j5Y4_7FE**

**Well, I do hope you enjoy it! Lemme know whatcha think and I do hope you get a laugh from it!**

* * *

Francis had climbed out of the small, rather cramped basket sometime in the early morning after the rain had stopped and was now dozing in the morning sunshine. He raised his head and yawned widely, listening to a crow on the nearby farm. He looked around as he heard someone singing.

_I like a chee-chee-chee-chee-rony like they make at home, or a healthy fish with a big backbone. I'm Abraham de Lacy, Giuseppe Casey, Arthur Kirkland. Kirkland the alley cat!_

Francis stood up and looked at the orange and white cat wandering towards them. His blue eyes widened and he smiled as he listened to him sing. The alley cat had yet to notice him. He was strutting on the other side of the creek. He hopped up onto the railing of the bridge, making his way towards Francis.

_I've got that wanderlust. Gotta walk the scene; gotta kick up highway dust. Feel the grass that's green, gotta strut them city streets. Showin' off my éclat, yeah!_

Arthur's eye finally alighted on the white cat and he grinned widely. He continued padding across the thin railing and jumped up into the Dogwood tree next to him. He slid down one of the branches on his belly; green eyes sparkling as he gently shook the end of the branch. Francis smiled and watched as the blooms from the tree fell and landed on his fur.

_Tellin' my friends of the social elite, or some cute cat I happen to meet. That I'm Abraham de Lacy, Giuseppe Casey, Arthur Kirkland, Kirkland the alley cat!_

Francis laughed lightly, ignoring the quickened pace of his heart and brushed the petals off his back and head. "Why, Monsieur, your name seems to cover all of Europe." Arthur chuckled and rolled onto his back as he kept his eyes on the cat. "Well of course. I'm the only cat of my kind," he replied smoothly, breaking off a flower and tossing towards Francis. He suppressed a smile and began licking his paw, cleaning himself off as Arthur started singing again.

_I'm king of the highway; Prince of the boulevard; Duke of the avant-garde. The world is my backyard, so if you're goin' my way that's the road you wanna seek. Calcutta to Rome or home sweet home in Paris. Magnifique, you all_

Francis continued to groom himself, allowing himself fleeting glances towards the alley cat. Arthur had slid down the tree and swaggered towards Francis, laying halfway across a large boulder. Both cats had failed to notice that the three kittens had poked their heads up from the basket and were watching them intently.

"Oh boy!" Alfred piped up, "an alley cat!" Michelle quickly shushed him with her paw and gestured back to their father and the alley cat. "Shh! Listen!" she said as Arthur rolled off the rock and continued towards Francis.

_I only got myself and this big old world, but I sip that cup of life with my fingers curled. I don't worry what road to take; I don't have to think of that. Whatever I take is the road I make. It's the road of life, make no mistake_

He was beginning to circle Francis as the French cat continued grooming and fluffing up his fur. The three kittens shrank back slightly as he passed them, but Alfred couldn't help the tap in his back feet as Arthur continued to sing. Arthur danced around Francis, hoping he would at least get a smile out of the other cat. He sauntered up close, making Francis lean back slightly but smirk none-the-less.

_For me, yeah, Abraham de Lacy, Giuseppe Casey, Arthur Kirkland, Kirkland the alley cat! That's right, and I'm very proud of that. Yeah!_

Alfred had begun swaying back and forth, nudging his sister over on accident as Arthur finished his song. Francis laughed and clapped his paws enthusiastically. "Bravo! Very good. You are a great talent," he said, smiling at Arthur. The other cat grinned and sat back on his haunches.

"Oh thank you. And what might your name be?" he inquired, looking at the white cat inquisitively.

"My name is Francis," he replied kindly. Arthur practically swooned as he looked at the sky.

"Francis. Beautiful. Love it," he complimented. He looked at him, right into his eyes. "And those eyes," he murmured, "ooh. Why your eyes are like sapphires, sparkling so bright," he circled the other, and Francis turned his head to watched Arthur, "they make the morning radiant.. and light." Francis chuckled at the silly rhyme.

"How romantic," Michelle sighed happily as she watched the two. Matthew rolled his eyes and looked between them.

"Sissy stuff!" he muttered.

"Oh, c'est très jolie, Monsieur. Very poetic," Francis commented teasingly, "but it is not quite Shakespeare." Arthur shrugged and leaned down on his front legs.

"Of course not," he replied. "That's pure O'Malley, baby. Right off the cuff, yeah." He winked at Francis. "I got a million of 'em." Francis managed a small smile but shook his head and sighed.

"Oh, no more, please. I am really in a great deal of trouble," he said, looking at Arthur with pleading eyes. Arthur's eyebrows scrunched at this and he sat up slightly, before curling onto his back.

"Trouble? Helping beautiful dame- uh, damsels in distress is my specialty. Now, what's the hang-up, your lordship?" he asked, scooting close to Francis. Francis smiled and looked at him.

"Well, it is most important zat I get back to Paris. So if you would be just so kind and show me ze way," he said, hoping that this cat would do just that. At the mention of helping Francis, Arthur's emerald eyes lit up.

"Show you the way? Perish the thought! We shall fly to Paris on a magic carpet, side by side," he replied sultrily, leaning carefully onto Francis' thin form, not noticing Michelle jumping out of the basket and running towards them, "with the stars as our guide, just we two."

"Ooh, that would be wonderful!" she gushed from behind him. Arthur swallowed and his whole face went slack as he looked behind him at the little white kitten.

"Three?" he asked. Matthew ran up beside Michelle. "Four." Alfred was the last to join his siblings and Arthur's already wide eyes widened even more. "Five!" Francis nodded and looked at the three.

"Oh yes, Monsieur Kirkland. Zese are my children. I've raised zem by myself since ze day zey were born," he replied, conveying an underlying message in the words.

"Oh, how sweet," Arthur replied, forcing a smile. Matthew looked up hopefully at the alley cat.

"Do you really have a magic carpet?" he asked. "And are we really gonna ride on it?" Michelle inquired excitedly. Francis sighed slightly at his children's questions.

"Now, now, Michelle," he murmured as his daughter walked up to him.

"Papa, do I have sparkling sapphire eyes that dazzle too?" she asked, turning her head slightly to look at Arthur. The alley cat's eyes widened and he swallowed guiltily.

"Hoo-ooh, did I say that?" he asked, looking sheepishly at Francis. He nodded and gave a sad smile

"Oui. Right off your cuff," he reminded him. Matthew perked up from behind making both adults looks at him.

"And you said we're gonna ride on your magic carpet, eh," the little black kitten said accusingly. Arthur gulped and began to stutter all over himself.

"Well, now, uh… what I meant, you see, I-" Francis shook his head and gave him a knowing smile.

"No poetry to cover zis situation, Monsieur Kirkland?" he asked, tilting his head to look at him as he saw him trying to make up for his mishap. Arthur blushed and bit his lip.

"What I had in mind was a kind of a sports model, baby. You know, one of those-" He was interrupted yet again by Francis as he tried to cover up his mistake.

"Per'aps a magic carpet built for two?" he asked, looking at Arthur with those big blue eyes. Michelle looked forlornly at Arthur.

"I wouldn't take up much room," she said softly. Francis sighed tiredly, knowing just what Arthur had been thinking.

"I understand perfectly, Monsieur Kirkland," he replied, "well, come along, darlings," he told them, motioning with his head for the kittens to follow him. Michelle sighed, looking back one more time at Arthur before following her father. Alfred jumped up beside Arthur, hissing and spitting like an alley.

"I'm a tough alley cat too," he told Arthur. The cat jumped slightly as the kitten surprised him but grinned at him.

"Hey there! You're comin' on. I'll bet you're a real tiger in your neighborhood!" he told Alfred. The orange kitten nodded vigorously and got down on his front legs.

"Yeah, that's 'cause I practice all the time," he replied excitedly. Francis turned back and smiled before calling her eldest to come along.

"Now, now, Alfred, come along, dear," he said as his other two followed him. Alfred looked after his papa and nodded.

"Yes papa," he said, sighing and turning to leave. Arthur frowned at the poor kids upset look. He grinned and called out to the kid.

"See ya around, tiger!" Alfred turned and grinned at Arthur before turning back to Francis, hissing and hopping every few steps towards him and his siblings. Arthur chuckled and shook his head as they walked off.

"Now that's quite a family," he said to himself. "and come to think of it, Kirkland, you're not a cat, you're a rat. Right?" he questioned himself, thinking over what he needed to do. He nodded resolutely and chased after Francis and his children. "Right. Hey! Hey, hold up there," he called after them. Francis turned around and raised an eyebrow.

"Oui, Monsieur Kirkland?" he asked. The kittens looked back hopefully as Arthur jogged up to them.

"Now look, kids. If I said magic carpet, magic carpet it's gonna be," he told them. All three sets of eyes lit up and grinned widely at him. "And it's gonna stop for passengers right..." He looked around, judging a few distances and walked towards a seemingly random spot in the road, "here." He drew an X in the dirt with his claw. The kittens were bouncing on their paws they were so excited.

"Oh boy! We're gonna fly after all!" Matthew said, looking back at his father. Francis smiled and shook his head.

"Anozer flight into ze fantasy, Monsieur Kirkland?" he asked, looking curiously at Arthur. He laughed and shook his head, grinning at Francis.

"No, no, no, baby. Now you just hide over there and you leave the rest to ole Arthur Kirkland," he told them, jumping up into a tree by the side of the road. Michelle ran in the tall grass nearby as Alfred and Matthew began ushering their father to follow.

"Quick, pa, get in here. "But… but, children-" "Hurry up, papa. Hurry." He finally relented and walked into the grass to wait. Arthur watched from a tree branch as an old car drove towards them. He grinned and looked between Francis and the rickety car.

"One magic carpet coming up," he told them. Francis scrunched his eyebrows as he looked at it.

"Zat's a magic carpet?" he asked, unsure if Arthur was in his right mind. The alley cat grinned and winked before jumping off the branch onto the hood of the car, hissing and screeching. The driver swerved and cursed loudly as Arthur jumped into bushes opposite where Francis and the kittens were hiding.

"Sacre bleu!" the driver screamed, bringing the car to an immediate halt. He jumped out, looking for Arthur as he stalked around to the front of the vehicle. "Sapristi! Stupid cat! Brainless lunatic!" he yelled. Francis poked his head out, looking at the angry driver. Arthur skipped his way to the back where the small tailgate was hanging down and made a sweeping gesture towards the back.

"All right, step lively! All aboard for Paris!" he called, watching all the kittens rush to the back and jump in.

"Why, Mister Kirkland, you could 'ave lost your life!" Francis said, walking out of the grass slowly, looking worriedly at Arthur. The cat simply chuckled and shrugged.

"So I got a few to spare. Nothin'," he replied, watching Francis jump into the back with his children. He smiled down at Arthur.

"'Ow can we ever zank you?" he asked.

"My pleasure entirely," Arthur replied, waving them off as he stayed behind. "Aloha. Auf weidersehen. Bon soir. Saranora. And all those goodbye things, baby," he called. He watched as Michelle ran to the edge and stood on her hind legs.

"Sayonara, mister-!" the small truck hit a bump and she fell over the edge. "Papa!" she shouted as she hit the dirt. Arthur jumped up and ran as fast as he could towards her.

"Michelle! Michelle!" Francis screamed, running to the edge. He watched as Arthur scooped his daughter up and ran for the truck. He leapt and caught the back of it. He set Michelle down and Francis looked her over. "Oh Michelle, are you all right?" he asked. She nodded and nuzzled into her father's touch.

"Yes, papa." Arthur looked up from his spot on the tailgate, still clinging to its edge.

"Haven't we met before?" he inquired playfully. Francis chuckled and nodded his head as he watched Arthur climb over the edge.

"Oh, and I'm so very glad we did," he replied. Michelle sat down next to her father and looked at Arthur.

"Thank you, Mister Kirkland for saving my life," she said gratefully. He grinned and walked over to them.

"No trouble at all, little princess. And when we get to Paris, I'll show you the time of your life," he told the three children. They all looked at him with wide eyes, eager to get back home until their father spoke up.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, but, well, we just couldn't," he said softly, looking up sincerely. "You see, my master will be so worried about us," he explained. Arthur scrunched his nose and hunched his shoulders slightly.

"Well, humans don't really worry too much about their pets," he told her confidently. Francis' eyes went wide and he shook his head earnestly.

"Oh non! You just don't understand. 'E loves us very much. Poor Monsieur," he murmured, looking out the back of the truck. "In zat big mansion, all alone. In all our days, in tender ways, 'is love for us was shown," he told Arthur, able to picture Roderich standing by one of the large windows, all by himself. "And so, you see, we can't leave 'im alone. 'E'd always say zat we're ze greatest treasure 'e could own, because wiz us, 'e never felt alone."

Kiku was standing in his stall in the stables as he watched Ludwig come in from his night of searching for Francis and the kittens. "Rudwig," he said, relieved as the mouse dragged himself in, "I've never been so worried about you. Did you have any ruck at arr?" he questioned, stretching his neck down to talk to the mouse.

"Not a sign of zem, Kiku, und I've searched all night," he told the black horse. He nodded in understanding and jerked his head back to the mansion.

"I know, and poor Monsieur didn't sreep a wink either," he informed Ludwig. The mouse sighed and hung his head.

"Oh, it's a sad day for all of us," he moaned, rubbing his forehead with his paw. He and Kiku both looked up as they heard Natalia humming. She was skipping her way into the stables with a basket of feed.

"Morning, Kiku, my handsome steed," she said, reaching up and patting his cheek. She set the feed down and tapped his nose. "Can you keep a secret? Hmm?" she asked, pulling out a rolled up newspaper and waving it around. "Of course you can," she chuckled to herself. "I've some news straight from the horse's mouth, if you'll pardon the expression, of course." Kiku jerked back in offense but refrained from biting him to find out what he was talking about.

"Look, Kiku, I've made the headlines," he said, holding out the paper for the horse to see. "Mysterious catnapper abducts family of cats. Aren't you proud of me?" she inquired teasingly. Kiku narrowed his eyes at the oblivious Natalia as Ludwig peeked his head over the horse's dark mane and between his ear.

"So, she's ze catnapper!" he muttered while Natalia was busy congratulating herself.

"The police said it was a professional, masterful job. The work of a genius. Not bad, eh, Kiku, old boy?" She slapped the horse on the rump with the paper, making him jerk up on his hind legs and whinny loudly, throwing Ludwig off and into the basket of feed. Oh, they won't find a clue to implicate me. Not one single clue," he stated confidently. "Why, I'll… I'll eat my hat if th-" She cut herself off, remembering the things she left at the old windmill. "My hat! My umbrella! Oh!" She dropped the feed and made her way out of the stables.

"Oh, gracious! I've got to get those things back tonight!" she cried as she ran out. Ludwig stood up, wobbling as he tried to balance on the feed.

"Vhy zat… sneaky, crooked…," he growled, spitting out the feed "…no good… butler!" He huffed, crossing his arms as he fell back into the basket.


End file.
